Changing Classes

[James Maliszewski]

Volume 1 allows for the possibility of changing classes under certain (limited) conditions. It's not clear, though, whether such a change would simply convert, for example, a fighting man into a magic-user or whether it result in a multi-class character with the abilities of both classes. Does anyone have any insights into the meaning of this section?

[murquhart72]

I think it's worded as a total conversion, but given that a Fighting-Man becoming a Magic-User can't simply "forget" how to use a sword, it may be the progenitor of Dual-Classing from Advanced D&D. In which case, your previous class would be stuck at whatever level you ended it as, but you could still continue as a your new class as well.

[cooper]

could you paste the relative section for me?

[murquhart72]

Changing Character Class: While changing class (for other than elves) is not recommended,
the following rule should be applied: In order for men to change
class they must have a score of 1 6 or better in the prime requisite (see below) of
the class they wish to change to, and this score must be unmodified. A Cleric
with a "strength" of 15, for example, could not become a Fighting-Man. In any
event Magic-Users cannot become Clerics and vice-versa.

~ Top of page 10, Men & Magic

[leon]

Just by reading this and the Elf "multiclassing" text and without applying posterior knowledge (what came after with dual classing in AD&D) it seems to be pretty straightforward but somewhat odd. If you have a high enough prime requisite you can simply change class. So Joe the 5th level MU becomes Joe the 5th level Fighting-Man.

The only reason I can think of for this rule is that someone finally decided that he didn't like to play a non spellcasting (or a spellcasting) class and wanted to switch (since you can't switch from cleric to MU and vice-versa), to try something different. But he didn't want to lose his character? his magic items? the stats he had rolled? who knows; so that rule was devised to accommodate him. Perhaps more than one player felt the same way and thus this obscure rule found its way in print. But this is pure hypothesis of course.

[Falconer]

Erac’s Cousin (played by Ernie Gygax) changed from Magic-User to Fighting-Man when he found himself on Barsoom (no magic). I wonder if that was the source for this rule. The Rogues Gallery, I think, statted him out as having levels in both classes, but it may well have been a straight switch (no longer MU, now FM) rather than similar to AD&D’s “dual classed” rules. Regards.

[vito]

So how does this work with fighters trying to become paladins at higher levels? Would the fighting man need to have a 15 in strength or charisma? Or would he have to have a strength of 15 and a charisma of 17?

[murquhart72]

A Fighter would have to have a 17+ Charisma to be a Paladin (as well as be Lawful in alignment). I wouldn't call that a class change so much as a promotion in status. IE, Paladins are still Fighters, just with extra bonuses due to tighter restrictions. They can loose that status even easier than they might gain it!
The class changing thing seems to be just for Fighters who want to start using magic and vice versa.